Luella to close at the end of August

Chef Ben De Vries and wife, Rachel upon opening Luella. Photo: The Chronicle/ John O’Hara 2005

The way that Luella chef-owner Ben de Vries sees it, he has three incredibly strong reasons for selling his 9-year-old Russian Hill gem.

“There are three things I want to do better. I want to be a better father, be a better husband and be a better friend,” says de Vries.

To accomplish those admirable goals, de Vries has decided to close his restaurant at the end of the month. Luella is currently in escrow, and the last day of business will be Saturday, August 31. Reservations are being accepted for the final nights, via phone.

It’s an emotional farewell for de Vries, who opened the business in 2004 with his wife. Since then, they’ve retained 50 percent of the same staff, and their cast of regular customers is as loyal as any restaurant in the city. Dishes like the Coca-Cola-braised pork shoulder and a Beef “Wellington” have become menu signatures; Michael Bauer, in his 2005 review, simply dubbed Luella “a restaurant that satisfies.”

De Vries, who cooked at places like Andalu, Ecco and LuLu prior to opening his own spot on Hyde, says he’s looking forward to getting back in a kitchen somewhere, but not necessarily the business side. So he’s been polishing his resume for the first time in 14 years, and considering his options.

“I’m always going to cook. Food is who I am. What’s really exciting to me is the prospect of being a chef and not being a bookkeeper. I love every aspect of this business not related to cashflow,” he laughs.

As for the new owners, it’s a group of industry veterans who are keeping their plans under wraps — for now. They will not keep it as Luella though. Stay tuned.

But for now, de Vries is doing the thing he’s always done at Luella: Giving props to his guests, and especially his regulars.

“I just want to convey a massive thank you, from me to everyone that has supported us. What we do is only half the package. Having guests come in has been as much a part of the restaurant as we have been.”